Click here to apply online for the Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy Program at JCHS!

Click here to see the Bachelor in Science in Respiratory Therapy section of the 2012-2013 JCHS Catalog.

Programmatic Outcomes Data

Most people take breathing for granted. It's second nature, an involuntary reflex. Yet for millions of Americans who suffer from breathing problems, each breath is a major accomplishment. Those people include patients with chronic lung problems, such as asthma, bronchitis and emphysema, yet may also include heart attack and accident victims; and premature infants.

Earning a BSRT degree at JCHS could be the key to opening important doors in your future as a healthcare professional. Here are some reasons why:

Our graduates are in demand.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of Respiratory Therapists is expected to increase by up to 26% in coming years. 

Our graduates earn outstanding salaries.
With demand for respiratory therapists on the rise, salaries are following suit. A recent study found that the average salary for a respiratory therapist in the U.S. is $62,223 and respiratory therapists beginning their careers can expect to earn between $42,000 and $47,000 annually.

Our graduates are exceptionally educated.
Students in the JCHS BSRT program learn in state-of the art labs and in some of the country's most advanced and innovative clinical areas. Plus, our faculty bring years of practical, relatable experience with them to the classroom.

Our BSRT graduates will have the opportunity to start their careers at advanced levels.
Today's Respiratory Therapist is a vital part of a healthcare team. By offering the bachelor’s level degree to our students, we are preparing them to enter the profession on an entirely new and exciting level. And the opportunities for our graduates are growing every day.

Because respiratory therapists are so in demand, there are opportunities for graduates to work in a number of different areas, including:

• In hospitals, giving breathing treatments to people with asthma and other respiratory conditions.
• In intensive care units, managing ventilators that keep the critically ill alive.
• In emergency rooms, delivering life-saving treatments.
• In newborn and pediatric units, helping children with conditions ranging from premature birth to cystic fibrosis.
• In operating rooms, working with anesthesiologists to monitor patients’ breathing during surgery.
• In patient’s homes, providing regular check-ups and making sure people have what they need to stay out of the hospital.
• In sleep laboratories, helping to diagnose disorders like sleep apnea.
• In skilled nursing facilities and pulmonary rehabilitation programs, helping older people breathe easier and get more out of life.
• In doctor’s offices, conducting pulmonary function tests and providing patient education.
• In asthma education programs, helping kids and adults alike learn how to cope with the condition.
• In smoking cessation programs, assisting those who want to kick the habit for good.
• In air transport and ambulance programs, caring for critically ill patients in transit.
• In case management programs, helping devise long-term care plans for patients.

To watch a video exploring more about respiratory therapy, go to the American Association of Respiratory Care website and view the "Life and Breath" presentation.

Diagnostic Procedures:

• Draw and analyze blood samples to determine the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide and other gases in order to assess the best course of treatment for a patient
• Measure the capacity and efficiency of a patient's lungs to determine if there is impaired function.
• Perform stress tests and other studies of the cardiopulmonary system.
• Study disorders of people with disruptive sleep patterns.
• Obtain and analyze sputum and breath specimens.
• Read and analyze chest x-rays and electrocardiograms

Treatment:

• Operate and maintain various types of highly sophisticated equipment to administer oxygen or to assist with breathing.
• Employ mechanical ventilation for treating patients who cannot breathe adequately on their own.
• Monitor and manage therapy that will help a patient recover lung function.
• Administer medications in aerosol form to help alleviate breathing problems and to help prevent respiratory infections.
• Monitor equipment and patient response to therapy
• Conduct rehabilitation activities, such as low-impact aerobic exercise classes to help patients who suffer from chronic lung problems.
• Maintain a patient's artificial airway, one that may be in place to help the patient who cannot breathe through normal means.
• Stand by in labor and delivery rooms to monitor and treat pre-mature infants who have difficulty in breathing on their own
• Conduct smoking cessation programs for the hospital patients and other patients in the community who want to kick the tobacco habit. (Young teens to adult to elderly population.)

Course Number	Course Name	Credit Hours
Year One – Fall Semester
GEN 101	Academic Seminar	3
ENG111	Grammar and Composition I	3
BUS 131	Computer Concepts & Applications	3
ELE		3
	TOTAL	12
Year One – Spring Semester
ENG 112	Grammar & Composition II	3
PHL 115	Foundations of Ethics	3
HLT 215	Medical Terminology	3
ELE		3
	TOTAL	12
Year Two – Fall Semester
BIO 211/211L	Anatomy and Physiology I	4
HUM	Humanities Elective	3
MTH 165	College Algebra	3
ELE		3
	TOTAL	13
Year Two – Spring Semester
IPE 200	Foundations of Teamwork	1
BIO 212/212L	Anatomy and Physiology II	4
ELE	Social Science Elective	3
ELE		3
ELE		3
	TOTAL	14
Year Three – Fall Semester
IPE   300	Interprofessional Healthcare Discovery and Collaboration	1
RTH 301	Patient Assessment	2
RTH 302/302L	Respiratory Therapy Procedures I/Lab	4
RTH 304	Cardiopulmonary Anatomy & Physiology	3
RTH 305	Integrated Sciences for Respiratory Therapy	3
RTH 308C	Clinical Practice I	1
	TOTAL	14
Year Three – Spring Semester
BIO   253/253L	Microbiology	4
RTH 310	Cardiopulmonary Pharmacology	3
RTH 311/311L	Respiratory Therapy Procedures II/Lab	4
RTH 318C	Clinical Practice II	3
RTH 332	Pulmonary Function Studies	2
	TOTAL	16
Year Three   Summer Semester
BIO 300	Pathophysiology	3
HCM 301	U.S. Healthcare System	4
RTH 320/320L	Mechanical Ventilation/lab	4
ELE	Elective	1
	TOTAL	12
Year Four – Fall Semester
MTH 301	Statistics for Healthcare or Statistics Class	3
RTH 330	Cardiopulmonary Pathophysiology	3
IPE   400L	Interprofessional Health Experiences Lab	1
RTH 420	Neonatal/Pediatric Respiratory Therapy	3
RTH 430	Patient Case Management I	3
RTH 448C	Clinical Practice III	3
	TOTAL	16
Year Four – Spring Semester
RTH 410	Patient Education & Rehabilitation	3
RTH 450	Patient Case Management II	3
IDS   453	Research Methods	3
RTH 478C	Clinical Practice IV	3
RTH 488C	Clinical Specialty Rotation	1
RTH 490	Professional Seminar	3
	TOTAL	16
	TOTAL Non-Major Credits	71
	TOTAL Respiratory Therapy Credits	54
	TOTAL PROGRAM CREDITS	125

The field of respiratory care is relatively young.  It started in the early 1950's when therapists were called "Inhalation Therapists."  Their main job was providing oxygen to patients in the hospital. 
The field has expanded into management of computerized mechanical ventilators which provide life support for the patients, and understanding and monitoring the heart and its hemodynamics.  One might say that we are now considered cardio-pulmonary (heart/lung) therapists. Many therapists are now performing echocardiography and neurodiagnostics.
Statistics say our population is aging, so not only will RTs always have work, but also advancement opportunities as the baby boomers (the largest population demographic in the U.S.) begin to retire (and then become your patients). Obviously, RTs will be in demand for a long time.

Respiratory Therapy is considered to be one of the hottest jobs in the healthcare industry. The respiratory care profession has a bright future with a great deal of job security and opportunity for advancement. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of Respiratory Therapists is expected to increase faster than average over the next decade. The primary reason for this increase is because the aging baby boom generation will expand the generation of older adults who tend to suffer from respiratory conditions like pneumonia and COPD. These patients often have respiratory complications due to heart disease and other common diseases of aging.
While U.S. employment in general is forecast to increase by 15 percent, the need for RTs will grow by up to 26 percent!

Once you enter the profession, you may wish to specialize in an area such as neonatal care, critical care, helicopter transport, rehabilitation, education, cardiopulmonary diagnostics or management. The U.S. Occupational Outlook Handbook might be helpful to you as you choose your future. It provides government projections for the profession, a description of the field, working conditions, employment, job outlook and earnings.

The American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC). The AARC is the professional association representing respiratory therapists, physicians, and other health care professionals who are interested in respiratory care. For information on respiratory care, visit the AARC website at www.aarc.org.

This program is accredited by:
Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care

We are also members of:
American Association for Respiratory Care
Virginia Society for Respiratory Care
National Board for Respiratory Care

If you would like to learn more about this program, contact Chase Poulsen, BSRT Program Director, at (540) 985-8490 or via e-mail CRPoulsen@jchs.edu.